1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the anodic or cathodic electrocoating of hollow bodies, in particular of cans, such as beverage cans, by means of a water-soluble lacquer as an electrolyte liquid, which is in contact with the cathode or anode and is sprayed in at least one uninterrupted stream, which produces a conductive connection, onto the surfaces of the hollow body which forms the anode or cathode.
2. Background Information
The art includes processes of this type as well as devices for the performance of such processes. In the art, the electrophoretic application of the coating material is performed using spraying, dipping or flooding methods. The apparatus required for such processes is relatively complex and expensive to create the required uninterrupted conductive connection between the lacquer and the material surface to be coated with the lacquer (See, for example, German Patent Publication Published for Opposition Purposes No. 26 33 179 and German Laid Open Patent Appln. No. 25 48 414.) In such coating processes, it is also considered disadvantageous that the coating time for each item is quite long, which means that in a manufacturing line, e.g. for beverage cans, a can production machine must be followed by several coating devices operating in parallel and simultaneously.